Baby, You're Never Alone
by JenRar
Summary: Ranger must go on a mission, and Stephanie finds a way to tell him how she feels. Songfic based on Lady Antebellum's "Never Alone."
1. Chapter 1: Stephanie

_Disclaimer: JE owns them. I do not. Songfic based on "Never Alone" by Jim Brickman and Lady Antebellum. Warning for lemony goodness._

~oooOOOooo~

**Baby, You're Never Alone**

~oOo~

**Chapter 1  
Stephanie's POV**

I set the box of donuts down on the Connie's desk and threw myself down on the couch.

"What's up with you?" Connie asked, opening the box.

"Yeah, white girl, you look crazy," Lula mumbled around the donut in her mouth.

"It's barely ten o'clock, and I've already fielded three calls from my mother." I sighed. "She wants me to babysit the girls for Val this weekend. Of course, she got in her normal digs about me, my job, and my lack of marriage potentials."

Joe and I had broken up a month ago. We were still friendly, and I'd been happy to hear that he was dating a nurse from the pediatric ward at the hospital. Unfortunately, my mother never hesitated to let me know that when I'd lost Joe, I'd lost my last chance at settling down and becoming a 'Burg wife. As if that was remotely what I wanted...

"Ah, Steph, you know she loves you. She just wants you to be happy."

"No, Connie, if she just wanted me to be happy, she'd be telling me to pursue a relationship with Ran—"

I felt a familiar tingle on the back of my neck. My mouth closed quickly at the same time that Connie and Lula's mouths opened in awe.

"Ladies. Babe," Ranger said as he stood beside the couch. "You were saying?"

I looked up to see an amused expression on his face. "Uh, nothing. Really."

One corner of his mouth tilted up slightly, and I knew I was once again living up to my job as entertainment. "Stick around. I need to talk to you after I see Vinnie."

I nodded, waiting until he was inside Vinnie's office before letting out a breath. "Got any files for me, Connie?"

She shuffled through a stack and handed me a few. "Can you give RangeMan's to Ranger too?" She handed me another stack when I nodded. "Thanks. You don't have any that need to be taken care of immediately, so whenever."

"So what's up wit' you and Batman?" Lula asked, looking at Vinnie's closed door.

I shrugged. "Nothing," I said sadly.

"Girl, you and the cop been done for a month! What are you waiting for?"

"If he wanted me, he'd have said something by now. We'll see, I guess."

We heard a loud bang from inside Vinnie's office, and then Ranger stomped out to the main room, blank face firmly intact. "Bug under the edge of your desk, Connie." He looked over at me, and his blank face slipped a bit. "Babe," he said, holding his hand out for mine.

I reached out and let him pull me to my feet. "Uh, bye," I said to the girls as Ranger began pulling me toward the door. "Lula, I'll call you about picking up some of these."

They watched us walk out, their faces a good imitation of fish with their lips pursed in surprise. Ranger took the files, flipped through to find the ones for RangeMan, and then threw them into the Cayenne. He tossed the rest into my car before he pulled me into the alley.

I started to open my mouth to say something, when he turned me suddenly, my back pressed between the wall and his body. His hands came up beside my head, and with his legs on either side of mine, he effectively blocked me in so I was unable to move.

He lowered his head and barely brushed his lips against mine once, twice, before he began kissing me in earnest. One hand moved behind my head to cushion me against the wall, and one leg moved between my legs. The hard muscle of his thigh pressed upwards against me, forcing the seam of my jeans to rub against my suddenly-alive lower body.

I whimpered and ran my hands up his chest. My left hand grabbed onto his shirt, making sure he wasn't going to pull away, and my right moved to the back of his neck and tangled in his hair. I was a few short seconds from exploding right there in public when he moved away slightly, his breathing as ragged as mine.

"Babe, can I come over tonight if I bring dinner? Need to talk."

I nodded. "No twigs and berries," I said as forcefully as my shaky breath would let me. "Is everything okay?"

After hesitating, he nodded. "I'll tell you more tonight, but I have to go tomorrow. Probably won't be back for a few months."

I bit my lip and sighed. "I wondered when it would happen again. Been a while since you've been _in the wind_," I told him.

"We'll talk more tonight. Call the office if you need help with those skips." He leaned down for one more quick kiss before he pulled completely away from me. After he took a few steps, he stopped and turned back around to look at me. "Oh, and Babe... Don't ever think I don't want you."

Before I could say a word, he was gone.

I waited in the alley until I felt like I had myself under control. Inside, I was still shaking—not only from the near-orgasm, but from the revelation that he was leaving the next day. Finally, I stumbled out to my car and decided to just go home, rather than go after any skips. There was no way I was going to be able to concentrate enough to get the job done today.

Once home, I flung myself down on the bed and cried. I always hated it when Ranger went on a mission. I always worried that he wouldn't come home. It had become even worse after he'd been shot and I'd realized I was in love with him.

I fell asleep crying, and the next thing I knew, I woke up and it was past lunchtime. I made myself a peanut butter and olive sandwich and then sat down with a paper and pen. I had some things to say to Ranger and knew the only way I was going to be able to say them would be to write them down. I chewed on the end of the pen and thought about how I wanted to phrase it. Finally, I just started writing.

~oOo~

_Dear Ranger,_

_There are a few things I wanted to tell you, and I knew I'd never have the confidence to say them aloud before you left. First, please take care of yourself while you're away. You're the only one I would trust to keep you safe._

_Second, I'm in love with you. I don't expect anything from you in return. I just needed you to know. When Scrog shot you, I felt like my world fell apart. I knew it would be either you or Joe walking into my apartment, and at the time, I wasn't sure which I'd prefer. On the one hand, I wasn't nearly as worried about Joe getting shot as I was for you. On the other hand, I knew that if anyone could handle themselves and keep us safe, it would be you. So when you walked in, I rejoiced inside, but a part of me also wanted to curl up and hide from the fear._

_That night, I screamed and cried for what felt like hours and told Joe—for the first time in our relationship—that I loved him. I still do and probably always will. But I realized a long time ago that I love him because of our past and because he's a good man. I'm not in love with him. I'm in love with you._

_There's a song I heard on the radio the other day that will forever stick with me in my mind. I want you to read the words and know that I mean every single one of them._

_**May the angels protect you  
Trouble neglect you  
And heaven accept you when it's time to go home  
May you always have plenty  
Your glass never empty  
Know in your belly  
You're never alone**_

_**May your tears come from laughing  
You find friends worth having  
With every year passing  
They mean more than gold  
May you win and stay humble  
Smile more than grumble  
And know when you stumble  
You're never alone**_

_From the moment we met almost four years ago, you've been a constant in my life. I am your friend, Ranger, and I hope you know that you've been my best friend for years. The guys are your friends, too. I hope you know how much you mean to all of us, how much your friendship means. Every day, it becomes that much more precious to me._

_**Never alone  
Never alone  
I'll be in every beat of your heart  
When you face the unknown  
Wherever you fly  
This isn't goodbye  
My love will follow you stay with you  
Baby you're never alone**_

_We may be thousands of miles apart for a while, but please remember that you are never going to be truly alone. As long as I am in your thoughts and in your heart and you're in mine, we'll be together. I'll look around at the places here that mean so much to me, the places that remind me of you, and will smile. Wherever you go, Ranger, my love will follow. You have my heart._

_**Well, I have to be honest  
As much as I want it  
I'm not gonna promise that cold winds won't blow  
So when hard times have found you  
And your fear surround you  
****Wrap my love around you  
You're never alone**_

_**Never alone  
Never alone  
I'll be in every beat of your heart  
When you face the unknown  
Wherever you fly  
This isn't goodbye  
My love will follow you stay with you  
Baby you're never alone**_

_I know you'll face horror and destruction while you're gone. Life will certainly not be easy. You'll be scared and will wish you were anywhere but where you are at the time. When you feel that way, remember me. Think of me and feel me wrapping my arms around you, my love wrapping around you and protecting you._

_**May the angels protect you  
Trouble neglect you  
And heaven accept you when it's time to go home  
So when hard times have found you  
And your fear surround you  
Wrap my love around you  
You're never alone**_

_**Never alone  
Never alone  
I'll be in every beat of your heart  
When you face the unknown  
Wherever you fly  
This isn't goodbye  
My love will follow you stay with you  
Baby you're never alone  
My love will follow you stay with you  
Baby you're never alone**_

_I'll pray every day for your safe return. My prayers will send angels to keep you safe until you come back to me. I'll think of you every day and every night. You'll be with me every minute you're gone. I'll dream of you without fail, just as I always do. You'll be with me every moment until you come home to me, regardless of how you feel about me. As long as you come home safe and sound, that's all that matters._

_I'm sorry to dump all this on you in a letter, but as I said, I was scared to say it aloud. I had to tell you, though. I didn't want to not tell you and then have something happen to you while you were gone, because I would regret not having the chance to tell you how I feel. I love you. Sometimes it feels like I've loved you forever, and it never stops feeling like I won't be able to love you long enough._

_I've made many mistakes in love. I've finally realized that a woman's got to love a bad man once or twice in her life to appreciate the good one. You, Ranger, are a good man. I'll never take you for granted, and I'll always be here for you, however you'll have me._

_I hope that while you're gone, you'll be able to feel me here, praying for you and counting down the minutes until you return. I love you, Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Come home to me._

_Love,  
Stephanie_

~oOo~

I folded the letter carefully and put it in an envelope. After sealing it, I wrote on the front: _**Open on the plane after leaving Trenton**_**.** I didn't want Ranger to accidentally see it, so I walked into the bedroom and stuck it deep in a dresser drawer. Hopefully I'd have a chance to sneak it into his bag or something before he left my apartment.

I had about three hours before I figured Ranger would show up. I curled up on the couch to watch some mindless TV, hoping to take my mind off what was coming. When he showed up two hours later, I realized he might have been as anxious as I was for him to get to my apartment.

"Babe," he said quietly, walking in with a Pino's pizza and salad in one hand and his duffle bag in the other.

"Mmm, pizza!" My stomach chose that moment to remind me I hadn't had much to eat for lunch.

"C'mon, Babe, let's feed the beast," Ranger chuckled. He handed me the pizza and set his bag on the floor beside the couch. "Want a beer?"

I nodded, my mouth already full of pizza, which prevented me from speaking. He laughed again and went into the kitchen. When he came back to the couch, he sat down beside me and set a beer and paper towels on the table.

"How was your day?" I asked between bites.

"Okay. I talked to Tank and the guys about being gone. Tank's in charge, so if you need anything, call RangeMan. _Anything_, Stephanie. Promise me." His voice was low and husky with some raw emotion.

I nodded. "I promise." After pausing for another bite, I spoke again. "Can you tell me anything?"

He looked at me for a long minute, and I'd begun to think he wasn't going to answer at all, when he finally said, "I'm going to Colombia."

I gulped. _Crap! There are a lot of drugs and bad guys in Colombia!_ "Uh, oh, okay. What are yo—"

He shook his head, interrupting me. "I can't tell you, Steph, I'm sorry."

_Mental head slap..._

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I wasn't thinking. Thank you for telling me that much."

He nodded once.

"Do you have any idea how long?" I asked quietly.

The rest of my pizza sat on a paper towel, untouched. Suddenly, I wasn't feeling all that hungry.

"Not sure, Babe. Could be a few months, could be a year. I won't be able to check in very often, but I'll try to get messages to you through Tank when I can."

After a bit, I tried to take some of the weight of the conversation away. I asked, "Can you bring me home some good coffee?"

Ranger chuckled and pulled me into a hug. "You never disappoint, Babe."

We finished the pizza and curled up together on the couch to watch a movie.

Once the movie was finished, I looked up into his eyes. "Are you staying?"

He was quiet for a second and then nodded. "I can if you want."

"I want."

He stood up and helped me up. "Take my bag into the bedroom. I'll put away the rest of your pizza and clean up in here, and then I'll be in." He kissed me softly and then let me go to start gathering up the trash on the table.

I grabbed his bag and quickly made my way to my room. The first thing I did was get the letter out of the drawer and stick it underneath the clothes in his bag. I put the bag down on the floor at the foot of the bed, grabbed a T-shirt from the drawer, and went into the bathroom.

I took care of the necessities and stripped out of my jeans, bra, shirt, and panties. Then I pulled on the clean shirt, combed the worst of the tangles out of my hair, and walked back into the bedroom. I knew the shirt was just long enough that you couldn't tell that I wasn't wearing anything underneath.

My heart fluttered when I saw Ranger reclined on the bed. He'd taken off his shirt and was now barefoot. He looked so sexy lying there that I knew if I'd been wearing panties, they'd have been soaked. I reached up to check for drool.

"Babe," he said, giving me a full two hundred-watt smile.

"What? I can't help it that you're so damn sexy," I grumbled.

He laughed and motioned to me with his hand. "Come to bed, Babe," he said softly.

I climbed onto the bed and smiled at him. "You don't have to wear the pants, you know. You'll be more comfortable without them."

_And I'll be a much happier woman!_

Ranger laughed again. "Only you, Babe." He stood and shed his pants, his naked silhouette barely visible in the moonlight.

I curled my finger, motioning him back to me. He slowly climbed back into the bed, looking like a panther on the hunt for his next meal. He kept moving forward until he had me fully reclined on my back and he was hovering over me.

I ran my hands up his arms, from his wrists to his shoulders, and then across his shoulders and down his chest. He shook as I flicked his nipples with my nails on the way past. I leaned my head up, and his dark eyes watched as my lips closed around one nipple. When my teeth nipped at it sharply, he threw his head back, teeth clenched tightly together as he tried to keep control.

Wanting to be fully in control, I pushed hard on his shoulders as I sat up, which forced him to flip onto his back. He let me follow him over until I was straddling his thighs. I leaned forward and kissed him roughly, wanting—needing—to show him just how much I wanted and needed him. His hands gripped my hips tightly as he returned my kiss, my lips nearly bruising with the intensity.

As we kissed, I reached one hand between us and wrapped my fingers around his hard length. His cock pulsed beneath my hand, and I felt drops of precome oozing from the tip onto my fingers. Ranger groaned into my mouth and jerked his hips up.

I relished the power I had over his control, but I needed more, desperately. My entire body felt like it was on fire. Holding him still beneath me, I used my knees to raise myself up and then slowly lowered myself onto him until he was buried fully inside me.

"_Dios,_ Babe!" Ranger's voice sounded strangled. "Slow down, Stephanie, or this will be over too soon."

My answering cry only spurred him on, and soon, our bodies were nearly slamming together. I felt my wetness running from where we were so intimately connected, down to my thighs and onto the tops of his. In my head, I knew this might be the last time I saw him the last time I got to feel him surrounding me so completely.

I leaned forward, still moving quickly up and down his velvety-steel cock. As I felt my orgasm rushing up through my body, I sucked the skin in between his neck and shoulder into my mouth. When the mother of all orgasms overtook me, I bit down hard. Ranger choked out my name, thrusting up hard and slamming my hips down as he followed me over into the abyss.

I was still lying on Ranger's chest with him buried inside me when he spoke, his voice full of concern. "Did I hurt you, Stephanie?"

I shook my head, not sure I could speak yet, even if I'd wanted to.

"Babe, look at me."

I turned my head to face him and saw his dark eyes peering at me, as if he could see into my soul. His hand came up to cup my face, and his thumb began wiping away the wetness on my cheek. I looked down at his shoulder and saw the dampness from tears I hadn't even realized I was shedding.

"I'm..." I shook my head to clear some of the haze. "I'm okay. Just hold me, please."

Ranger looked concerned, but brushed his lips across mine once softly before easing out of me. I whimpered as I felt the emptiness of my body begin to match the emptiness I was already feeling in my heart. He turned us in the bed until we were on our sides. My face was buried in his chest, and his arms were wrapped tightly around me as I quickly gave in to the physical and emotional exhaustion of the last twelve hours.

~oOo~

Sometime later, I was pulled out of my sleep by a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Mmm, whattimeisit?" I mumbled.

"It's four thirty, Babe. Go back to sleep. I have to go. My ride's downstairs. Stay safe, _querida._"

I lay there numbly, my brain barely registering his words, before I realized he had left the bedroom. When I heard the front door unlock, I flew out of the bed and to the living room, crying out his name. "Ranger!"

He stopped and turned around.

I raced into his arms, throwing myself at him.

As he held me, he murmured something in Spanish. Even though I couldn't understand what he'd said, every bit of emotion came through. Finally, he carefully lowered me to my feet, grabbed his bag from where he'd dropped it on the floor when I'd jumped into his arms, and then gave me one last look. Then he turned and walked out the door.

I fell to the floor, leaned back against the door, and drew my knees up to my chest. Wrapping my arms around them, I tucked my head in tight to my chest and sobbed.


	2. Chapter 2: Ranger

_Disclaimer still stands._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 2  
Ranger's POV**

I froze after one step, tensing as I heard Stephanie's sobs just inside the door of her apartment. Every part of me was screaming to turn back around and scoop her up, never letting her out of my arms again.

_Shake it off, soldier! You've got a job to do._

I turned slightly, pressed one hand to the door for a moment in a silent goodbye, and then walked silently to the stairs.

As I jogged down, I felt the envelope crinkle in the pocket of my cargoes. I got out to the waiting SUV and tossed my bag into the back seat before climbing in beside Tank.

"Everything all right, man?"

I barely spared him a glance before answering. "Fine," I said shortly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shake his head.

"Talk to me, Rangeman. I could feel the tension rolling off you the moment you walked out the door of the building."

We were already two blocks from my Babe's place before I reached into my pocket and slowly pulled the envelope Stephanie had left in my bag. "Steph left this for me in my bag." I paused, not sure what to say. "That was the worst it's ever been. The goodbye, I mean." I took a shuddering breath, turning my head so I didn't have to watch him.

"We'll take care of her for you, Carlos," he said quietly, one hand coming out to clasp my shoulder tightly.

I nodded and focused straight ahead as we finished the drive to the airport.

~oOo~

The plane was thousands of feet in the air before I got up the courage to pull the envelope out of my pocket again. _**Open on the plane after leaving Trenton.**_

I glanced around me, and when I saw that no one was paying any attention to me, I carefully opened the envelope.

By the time I'd finished reading Stephanie's letter, my heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise. I could barely breathe from the ache deep—so very deep—in my chest. She loved me. My Babe well and truly loved me. That knowledge shook me to my core and filled me with a light that threatened to burst out of my skin. I knew in that moment that I would not simply _try my best_ to get home safely from this mission; I _would_ make it home safely. For the first time in a long time, something stronger than me and my will was guiding me. My heart squeezed once more when I thought of what that was: my Babe.

~oOo~

**Three Months into the Mission**

"Talk," Tank's voice answered.

"Yo," I said in reply.

I heard a thump over the line, as if his feet had been on the desk and dropped to the floor.

"Ranger, man, it's good to hear your voice. Everything going okay?"

"As expected," I told him.

"Gotcha."

He was quiet, waiting for me to lead the conversation. I only had a few moments, so I quickly ran through the questions I had about the job and RangeMan before getting to the ones I really wanted to ask.

I pulled the letter out of my pocket and ran my fingers over it. The paper was a bit rough around the edges after three months of being carried around constantly. I'd read it so many times that I could quote the damn thing already. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"How is she?"

He chuckled. "She's good, man. Asks every day if I've heard from you. Lula broke her leg last month, so I've had Lester partnering with her on skips. They're working all hers and most of ours, too." He paused a moment. "She'll be glad to know you're okay," he said a little more quietly.

I swallowed hard as I slid the letter back into my pocket. "Tell her..." I wasn't sure what to say. "Tell her I'm okay and that I'm never alone."

Sounding confused, he said, "I will. Take care of yourself."

"Thanks. Call you when I can." I hung up, steeling myself to get back to the job at hand.

~oOo~

**Six Months into the Mission**

I collapsed onto the cot in the tent set up at camp for sleeping. My entire being felt weary and beaten. Broken. Our intel had been bad and people had been killed. Children had died, brutally murdered by the men we were tracking. I hadn't killed them, but I was responsible for their deaths regardless. It was my mission, my responsibility to make sure every piece of intel was good.

I pulled out Stephanie's letter. If ever I'd needed comfort, tonight was the night.

~oOo~

_I know you'll face horror and destruction while you're gone. Life will certainly not be easy. You'll be scared and will wish you were anywhere but where you are at the time. When you feel that way, remember me. Think of me and feel me wrapping my arms around you, my love wrapping around you and protecting you._

~oOo~

She could never find out just how much horror and destruction I saw on these missions. It would change something so deep inside her that I was afraid she would never recover. There was something so fundamentally good about Stephanie. She was almost innocently naive about life. Whatever else she was, though, she was my safe harbor and had been since almost the moment I met her. She was right; I was scared, and I'd have given anything at that moment to be anywhere but here. I folded the letter, placed it back into my pocket, and then closed my eyes and began to dream of holding her in my arms.

~oOo~

**Thirteen Months into the Mission**

"Beta team under heavy fire!" I heard screamed through the earpiece hidden in my ear.

I could hear gunfire from all around me and the cries of soldiers as the bullets struck their intended targets.

I was hidden in the dense foliage of the trees surrounding the enemy camp, trying to make a decision about which way to turn so I could circle around to the entrance I needed. I shut out the voices over the comms, the sounds of the gunfire, and listened solely to the voice in my head. Just as I was about to go left, something inside me stopped me cold in my tracks. Stephanie's voice was whispering through my mind.

_Stop,_ it ordered.

I waited, not really sure why I was listening to it. I'd always been able to trust her, so I figured I shouldn't start questioning it now. After a few seconds, I heard them: a group of six enemy soldiers ran past to the left, guns out as they flew by.

_Go right, Ranger. Now!_

When the voice in my head spoke again, I gave one quick glance around and then scrambled low on my feet and raced as quickly as I could to the right. Less than a minute later, I came upon the entrance I'd been searching for at the back of the camp. I crept slowly up behind the guard posted at the entrance to the tent my target was in. Before he could hear me move, he was crumpled at my feet, his head twisted at an odd angle. I picked up his weapon and rushed into the tent, my gun ready in case our intel was wrong and they had a man inside as well.

The only person inside the tent was the American soldier in a dirty, ripped pair of cargoes and dark green T-shirt, sitting tied up and gagged in a chair to the side of the tent across from a table and an empty second chair. His eyes widened when he saw me, fear creeping in because he didn't know yet whether I was friend or foe.

As I moved quickly toward him, I raised a finger to my lips to signal him to keep quiet. I kneeled down to untie the ropes holding him to the chair and began to speak quietly.

"Army Ranger, soldier. I'll take the gag off, but keep quiet so we don't get any unwanted attention. Understand?" I waited until he nodded and then reached up and removed the gag, throwing it to the ground beside the chair.

Six hours later, the rescued soldier was on a plane, off to the nearest military hospital for nothing worse than dehydration and a few cuts and bruises. We'd all been lucky; no one had come out of the rescue operation with anything more than a mild concussion after taking a hit on the head from the butt of a rifle.

Now I was collapsed onto the cot, rereading my Babe's letter and thinking back over our relationship. Four years ago, this beautiful, curly-haired brunette with blue eyes had walked into the diner. She'd intrigued me, irritated me, amazed me, and eventually, she'd stolen my heart.

I've saved her life countless times over the years, and today, she'd saved mine. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if I'd gone left at the camp like I'd planned, I'd have been shot and killed. When she whispered into my head, it had saved my life. She must have been doing some praying, because the guardian angels were definitely at work earlier today.

~oOo~

**Sixteen Months into the Mission**

"_Despierte, preso! Hora para su visita siguiente de Diego._" The man's voice came moments before I felt my arm jerked up so hard that I was afraid it would be yanked out of the socket.

He wanted me to wake up for my next visit for Diego, but I kicked out my foot, determined that I would not go willingly to face the man who had beaten me mercilessly for hours every day since my capture six days before. The guard screamed as my foot connected with his knee, forcing his kneecap out of place. He dropped me to the cold, rough, cement floor as he howled in pain.

If the bastard would take off the handcuffs, I'd give him something to scream about, and I told him so, my Spanish coming out on a growl.

I had just enough time for a passing thought before the fist I saw flying toward my face connected to my temple and the blackness surrounded me.

_Babe..._

The next time I woke up, I was standing in the middle of another room, my arms tied to a hook above me. My feet were barely able to reach the floor to keep all my weight off my arms. I was alone in the room, and I was unsure as to what had brought me awake.

Finally, I heard a noise. Gunfire echoed from somewhere out in the hall, the closed door dampening some of the noise. Moments later, my breathing and heartbeat were all I could hear. The door to the room was thrown open, and a small group of men flowed in, guns up and ready. Their eyes darted around the room, finding no one but me. Two made their way to me, while the others turned around and stood right outside in the hall.

"Captain Manoso, can you hear me?" the soldier in front of me asked quietly as his hand moved up to cut the rope hanging me from the ceiling. He was wearing the shades of green in Army camo.

I started to nod my head but groaned when pain hit me unexpectedly. I nearly collapsed to the floor once the rope came loose above me.

"Here, we've got you," the other man in the room said, putting an arm around my waist to hold me steady.

"Thanks," I told him. "It's good to see you guys."

"It's good to see you, too, sir. We've been tracking you for days. Let's get you out of here and someplace safe."

~oOo~

I passed out from the pain before we even left the room I'd been hanging in. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed, wires and tubes connected in several places to my body. I saw an IV in my left hand and a monitor of some sort beside the IV stand on the left side of the bed. I slowly turned my head to the right and saw Tank sprawled in a chair across the room.

"Fuck, how long have I been out?" I grumbled.

"Welcome back, Rangeman." Tank grinned as he got up from the chair and walked over to the bed. "I see your time away didn't improve your disposition." I glared at him until he answered, looking serious. "You've been here in the hospital for three days. You were severly dehydrated, had a concussion, three broken ribs, your nose was out of place, you have rope burns around both wrists and more bruising than is pretty. The worst things are bruised kidneys and a wrenched shoulder. You've been in and out of it since they brought you in. Even when you woke up, you weren't really coherent. The doctor said it was just your body's way of dealing with the stress and was giving you time to rest."

"So could have been worse. Where am I?" I tried looking around, but I didn't notice anything familiar.

"San Antonio Military Medical Center. Now that you're awake, you won't have to stay long. Bobby is out getting coffee. The doctor should release you into his care later today or tomorrow."

"Stephanie?" She'd been my rock the entire time I'd been in that concrete room. I'd been alone, but not once had I ever truly felt like it.

"We didn't tell her you were injured. We weren't notified that you were missing until we got the call that you'd been found and were already at the hospital. Since you're okay, you can call her." He started to hand me his phone.

I shook my head. "I'd rather just wait and go see her when I get home. If I tell her over the phone that I was hurt, she'll just worry until I get there."

"Want to talk about it?" he asked quietly. He knew that, after something like this, you either needed to talk about it or you don't.

"Nine days ago, I was scouting an enemy camp when I was ambushed." I told the story quietly, leaving out no details.

We were still talking when Bobby and a tall, dark-haired man in a white doctor's coat walked into the room. "Ahh, you're awake," the doctor said, smiling. "I'm Doctor Torrez. Welcome back, Captain Manoso."

"Thanks. Yo," I said to Bobby.

Bobby broke out into a grin. "Yeah, welcome back, man. How are you feeling?"

I rolled my eyes, one of the fun things I'd picked up from Stephanie, and looked at him. "Like I was beaten repeatedly," I said dryly. "I'm okay. Sore, but my wrists hurt more than anything at the moment."

The doctor nodded. "You've been getting some painkillers through your IV. I'll give you a prescription for some pills when you leave. You'll probably need to take the medicine for a few more days. You had some pretty severe bruising to your kidneys, which can be rather painful. You've had some blood in your urine, but nothing bad enough to warrant surgery, so you're healing on your own. After a few days, you can switch to acetaminophen if you're still in pain."

"When can I go home?" I hated hospitals and had an almost desperate need to see Stephanie, so my voice came out a bit more gruff than I'd anticipated.

Doctor Torrez checked his watch. "I'd like to keep you overnight. You need to get up and walk around some, use the bathroom yourself after we take out the catheter, that type of thing. If everything still looks good tomorrow, I'll release you in the morning. Got a woman waiting for you back home?" He smiled gently.

I nodded. "I hope so," I said tiredly. I glanced at his left hand and saw the gold ring shining back at me from his finger. "You married?"

He smiled. "Nearly fifteen years. I'm a doctor, but I'm beginning to think my most brilliant achievement was in persuading my wife to marry me."

I think I smiled in return, but I was so tired, I simply closed my eyes and fell asleep, letting the darkness slowly take over once again.

~oOo~

Tank pulled into Stephanie's parking lot the next day, and my stomach began twisting itself into knots.

"Thanks, man," I told him, opening the door and beginning to climb out carefully.

I was surprised when I looked up and saw Tank standing in front of me, holding my bag. Santos had brought a bag with a change of clothes when he picked the three of us up at the airport.

"I'll walk you up and carry the bag," Tank said. His tone of voice brooked no arguments.

I nodded and slowly started making my way up the sidewalk to the door of the apartment building.

In deference to my injuries, we loaded ourselves into the elevator. Thankfully, it was missing Mrs. Bestler, the little old lady in Steph's building that liked to ride up and down the elevator, giving people rides to different floors of the building like it was a department store.

We made it to Stephanie's apartment a couple of minutes later. I stood outside her door and looked at Tank. "I got it from here," I told him. "Thanks, Tank."

He nodded and set the bag down at my feet before turning to go, taking the stairs down instead of the elevator.

I pulled the now well-used letter out of my pocket and held it tightly before knocking on the door.


	3. Chapter 3: Home Again

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 3  
Ranger's POV**

I wasn't sure what my reception would be after this many months away, so rather than just let myself into Stephanie's apartment like I had so many times before, I knocked. I could hear her moving around inside, and I knew that any second, she would open the door to find me on her doorstep. My life would either begin at that moment, or all my dreams would be shattered. I clenched the letter tightly in one hand and balled the other into a fist, holding it down at my side and trying to keep control of myself.

Before I had much more time to think, the door was pulled open, and my beautiful woman stood before me. The light from the living room behind her shone around her, making her look like an angel—a wild-haired, disheveled angel, but an angel, nonetheless.

"Babe," I choked out, my voice hoarse with emotions.

"Ranger," she breathed. Before I could say anything, she threw herself into my arms, her cries already filling the hallway.

I groaned from the pain of my ribs and shoulder. Whatever she heard in my voice must have cleared her head, because she jerked away from me.

"Oh, God, you're hurt! I'm sorry! Are you okay? Oh, Ranger! Did I hurt you? Please, tell me I didn't make it worse!"

I used my free hand to pull her to me and wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her tight against me. "Babe, breathe," I whispered. "I'm okay. Just need to be a bit gentle right now. Can I come in, Steph?"

She nodded, still not looking away from my face. I looked down at my bag and started to reach for it, but she stepped away and grabbed it first. "Let me. Go get comfortable, please."

I moved around her and paused before going into the apartment. I buried my face in her hair and breathed as deeply as my ribs would allow. The scent of her hadn't left my memory the entire sixteen months I'd been gone, and I felt the flare of desire flame up inside me at just a brief reminder.

"_Dios,_ Stephanie." I pressed a kiss to her head and then made my way into the living room and to the couch.

I heard her come back into the room behind me and then the click of the lock on the door. I'd just eased my body down onto the couch and closed my eyes from the pain when she dropped my bag beside the couch. I felt the couch dip as she gently sat beside me. Her hand came up and began to trace the contours of my face, and I knew she was gently tracing the bruises that decorated most of it. I sighed softly because her sweet touch was better than anything the doctors could have prescribed for my pain.

"Am I hurting you?" she whispered.

I shook my head. "No, Babe. It feels..." I paused, trying to figure out what word fit the feeling best. "It feels like home."

She began to cry again, and the soft, quiet sobs brought my eyes open. With one hand still clutching the letter, I raised the other and tipped her chin up with my fingers.

"I'm sorry," she said, sniffling.

I could see her try to stop the tears, but they just continued to come.

"Don't be sorry, Babe. Really, though, I'm okay. A few sore ribs, a sore shoulder, my nose was bent out of shape, and I've got a bunch of bruises. Just be gentle, but don't stop touching me." I shivered. "_Dios,_ don't stop touching me, please, Babe. I've dreamed of your touch for months."

Her hand moved tentatively across my cheek and down my jaw to my lips. "Really?"

Instead of answering, I held up the letter. "This, Babe. This is what kept me going while I was in hell."

She took the paper from my fist and gently unfolded it. I knew from memory what the letter looked like now, so I continued to watch her face. I watched as she took in the dirty, stained paper, with the creases showing so much wear that several holes showed through. She began to cry harder, and I knew she had seen the dark brown spots of my blood and the clear spots of my tears.

A sharp pain shot through my chest as I moved just enough to irritate my ribs, and her eyes flew up from the paper to meet mine.

"Do you have any pain pills, Ranger?"

I nodded. "They make me sleepy, and I had to come here to see you before I could sleep."

She stood up and held her hand out to me. "Come on, Batman. Time to take a pill and get to bed."

I gave her a full-on wolf grin and watched the blush spread across her cheeks and down her chest to disappear under her shirt. I knew from previous experience that the blush would cover her entire chest, including the beautiful breasts that I wished so badly to touch at the moment.

She shot me a glare, but she couldn't control the giggle. "Not like that, and you know it!"

I let her pull me up from the couch. I'd have liked to stand on my own, but at this point, only sheer force of will was keeping me from passing out.

She picked up the bag from the floor and led me by the hand to the bedroom. I argued when she gently forced me down onto the bed and bent over to undo the laces on my boots.

"Babe," I began, only to be hushed and humbled by the look of love and determination on her beautiful face.

"I'm going to take these off and go grab some water. When I come back, you'll take the pills your doctor gave you and we'll get some sleep. Tomorrow is soon enough for a long overdue talk, don't you think?"

At my nod, she finished unlacing my boots and tossed them to the floor at the foot of the bed. I watched quietly as she walked out of the room and came back a minute later with two bottles of water, condensation already beading up on the outside of the plastic. She set them on the table beside the bed and reached down to unzip the outside pocket, where you could see the outline of the bottle of pills from the doctor.

"Only one," I told her stubbornly when she handed me two pills.

She shook her head. "It says two on the bottle. Tonight, two. Tomorrow, we'll see."

I kept trying to give one back to her, but sometime in the last sixteen months, my Babe had grown a backbone when it came to me, and she stood her ground. I reluctantly tossed both pills back and followed them with a big drink of the cold water. I handed her the water and captured her wrist after she set it back down on the table.

"You've changed, Babe," I said quietly.

A look, almost what I'd call fear, flashed across her face and settled into her eyes. "You were gone a long time, Ranger," she answered just as quietly.

I almost hated to ask my next question, but I had to know. As much as I was terrified of the answer, I simply had to know. I pulled the letter out from her pocket, where she'd stuck it before walking us to the bedroom. I held it up between us and asked the one question that had the ability to bring me to my knees.

"Too long for this to still be true?"

The tension was so thick on the air, I could almost taste it on the back of my tongue. After a minute, she raised her head and looked me in the eyes. The look in those beautiful baby blues nearly took my breath away.

"Never. I prayed every day you would come home to me, Ranger. I dreamed of you every night, and there were times when I felt I was right beside you in the middle of the fight. I'd have given my life for you then, and I'd give it now. You took my heart with you when you left, and until you decide you don't want it anymore, it's yours and yours alone. The question is... Do you want it?"

~oooOOOooo~

**Stephanie's POV**

I forced myself to stand my ground and look Ranger in the eyes when I confessed to him that I still loved him. Inside, I was a mass of nerves, and my stomach felt like I was going to throw up every bit of food I'd eaten the last sixteen months. Instead, I steeled myself with the iron will I'd learned how to channel and waited quietly.

Ranger looked at my face like he could see my soul through my eyes. It took me a minute in the silence to really look at him and see the tears beginning to gather in his eyes before they spilled down his cheeks.

My hands moved of their own accord to cup his face, and my thumbs brushed away the fallen drops. I wanted to ask for an answer. No, I _needed_ to ask, to demand an answer, but months away from him was forcing me to be cautious. I knew he had the power to break every little piece of my heart with one little word. So instead, I simply waited and loved him the only way I could at the moment.

He blinked once to clear the worst of the tears from his eyes and then put the letter on the table beside the water. I didn't take my eyes from his, but I felt him move his hands up to cup my face. His thumb traced my lips as his eyes followed the movement. Finally, after long moments of nothing but the sounds of our breathing, he took one deep breath and nodded.

"Babe, I was gone for sixteen months, but I was never alone. You were in my thoughts constantly. When I closed my eyes, I didn't see the nightmares I normally see. All I could see was you. You were my guiding light. My guardian angel. You saved my life and kept me strong. I've loved you for a long time. You are my life, Stephanie, and I love you. No qualifiers. No pretense."

I moved forward one step until I was in his arms. The tears on my cheeks matched his, and I lowered my head until our lips met. Our first real kiss in months nearly stopped my heart. When his tongue slipped between my lips to caress mine, my knees weakened, and I reached out to hold on and keep myself on my feet.

Ranger's cry brought me out of my lust-induced stupor. I jerked back to see the pain flash across his face.

"Oh! Ranger, I'm sorry! God, I'm so stupid. I'm sorry. I let myself get carried away. Let's get you ready for bed," I told him gently.

He was gritting his teeth and his fists were clenched tightly. I carefully pulled his shirt up and over his head, making sure not to jostle his shoulder any more than I had to. I helped him stand and then pulled his cargoes down past his hips and let them fall to the floor. He stepped out of them, using me for balance, and then sat back down on the bed. Once he was resting comfortably on his back, I took his socks off and pulled the sheet up around his hips.

"Come to bed, Babe," he whispered, obviously still in pain.

I nodded. "Let me change clothes." I leaned over, kissed him softly, and then grabbed his T-shirt and went into the bathroom.

When I finished changing clothes and brushing my teeth, I turned off the light and walked back into the bedroom. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Ranger sound asleep on the bed, one arm thrown to the side. He looked like he was waiting for me to join him, so I turned off the small lamp on the bedside table and crawled up to him. I curled up beside him, and even in his sleep, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me tightly against his side.

I sent up a quick prayer. "Thank you, God, for bringing him home to me," I whispered. I fell asleep to the beat of his heart below my head and his quiet breaths above me.

~oOo~

I yawned, stretched, and paused when I realized there was a warm, hard body in bed beside me.

_Omigod, Ranger's really home_, I thought, remembering the night before.

I slowly turned over and saw his head facing me. His dark eyes were watching me, and the smile on his face made him look...peaceful.

"Good morning," I mumbled sleepily.

"Morning, Babe." He eyed my lips, and I suddenly couldn't wait any longer to feel his kiss.

I leaned over, softly brushed my lips against his, and then moaned when his hand came up to tangle in my long curls. Reluctantly, I pulled away from him. "I'm so glad you're really here," I whispered.

He nodded. "I am, Steph. I'm really here. Tank dropped off some donuts and coffee. If you'll help me up, we can go sit on the couch and talk while we eat." I must have looked like a fish, because he chuckled and reached up to close my mouth. "He brought me some fruit and yogurt, Babe."

_Oh, that makes more sense!_

"Babe."

I squeaked. "I've really got to stop saying things out loud."

He just grinned.

"Okay, let me go first, and then I'll come back and help you up."

I hopped carefully out of bed and ran into the bathroom. When I finished, I came back into the bedroom and helped Ranger out of bed. He didn't make any noise, but from the tightening around his eyes, I knew he was in pain.

"I can take it from here, Babe," he said when we got to the bathroom door. "Maybe I'll let you help me in the shower later, though." He winked and gave me a full two hundred-watt smile.

I teased him right back with, "Well, I _am_ pretty good in the shower!"

"Mmm, I'm sure you are, Babe. When my ribs and shoulder are better, that'll be one of the first things on my list."

He said it with such heat that my voice squeaked when I spoke. "List? What list?"

"Oh, Babe, I have a list almost as long as Santa's of things that I want to do to you."

I nodded and began backing away. "Okay, I'm sure it'll be good. Uh, I'm gonna go get breakfast ready." I stopped to get the pain pills from beside the bed and then fled into the kitchen to the relative safety of my sugar-filled breakfast.

~oooOOOooo~

**Ranger's POV**

I chuckled as I watched Stephanie almost run from me. It was good to know that after sixteen months away from each other, I still had that effect on her. I carefully did what I needed to do and then sat down on the bed and carefully pulled a pair of sweatpants from my bag. It was just the two of us, and I wasn't planning on going anywhere, so I left a shirt and socks off. I pulled a box for Steph out of my bag and walked into the living room.

Stephanie had a plate with a few donuts for her and a banana and the blueberry yogurt Tank had brought for me all sitting on the table. She was sipping a cup of coffee. I knew without looking that the color of the coffee would be lightened considerably with way too much milk, and the taste would almost be sweeter than the donuts she planned to eat. She had my pain pills sitting beside a fresh bottle of water and moved the little pillow beside her so I could sit down.

"Thanks, Babe. You cook a mean breakfast," I said, smirking.

She turned her "death glare" my way, but when I just kept grinning, she finally giggled and bumped my knee with hers. "Thanks. I tried." She looked over at the box I had in my hands. "What's that?"

"I brought you a present."

"A present?"

I nodded.

"From Colombia?"

I nodded again and waited, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist asking for it. Sure enough...

"Can I have it now? Please?"

I smiled and handed her the box, waiting to see her reaction.

When she pulled the lid off the top, her grin widened so far that it threatened to split her face in two. Her eyes sparkled as laughter bubbled up through her chest and burst out her lips until she was almost rolling around on the couch.

I waited until she had calmed enough that she could hear me. "You like?"

She held up the two bags from inside the box. "Coffee? Seriously?"

I nodded. "You asked me before I left if I would bring you home some coffee. This is the good stuff, Babe—mocha blend in one bag, hazlenut in the other. They're whole bean, so we'll go shopping tomorrow and get you a coffee grinder. That way you can make it fresh yourself. Sound okay?"

She beamed at me. "Okay? Of course it's okay! Thank you, Ranger, really. That you remembered me asking means more to me than anything else." I felt a twinge in my ribs, and it must have shown on my face because she looked concerned. "Now, take a pill."

I shook my head. "I'm okay."

She glared again. "Take the pill or I'm calling Bobby; he and Tank can come over and hold you down while I shove it down your throat."

I tried to laugh at the fierce look on her face, but laughing hurt my chest, so instead, I held up my hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. No threatening with my men, Babe. I'll take the pill, Nurse Stephanie."

I froze, the image of my Babe in a stark white nurse's uniform with thigh high stockings and platform heels going straight from my brain to my groin.

"Hmm, Nurse Stephanie. There's another thing to add to your list, Ranger," she teased. "Now, take a pill and eat your breakfast."

She picked up a donut and began to eat. I shook one pill from the bottle, downed it with a glass of water, and then grabbed the yogurt and spoon from the table.

"I know you have questions, Babe. Ask away, but realize I can't tell you a lot."

After she swallowed the bite of donut, I watched her face turn up in thought. Finally, she looked at my face, and I knew she was looking at the bruises. She then followed the look down to my chest, looking at the bandages that were wrapping around the ribs.

"How did you get hurt?" she asked timidly. She reached out and gently caressed the bandages.

I sighed. "I was beaten, Steph."

She nodded. "Did someone capture you?"

"We had a bad tip and what should have been a simple rescue turned into an ambush. Two others and myself were held for almost a week before a team stormed the place and got us all out."

She gasped and asked, "The others?"

"One has a broken arm, another had to have surgery to remove his spleen. Other than that, they're all about the same injuries."

"What else is wrong with you? I know your shoulder's hurt, and you must have some broken ribs." She gestured to the wrappings around my chest.

"Yes, three broken ribs." I frowned and then listed the other injuries, taking her hand when she reached out for me after I mentioned the bruised kidneys. "I'm okay, Babe. Really. I'll be sore for a while, but really, the ribs are the worst of it. They aren't completely broken...just some fractures, really. It just means nothing too strenuous until they're healed and my shoulder's feeling better."

"Promise?" she whispered, obviously worried.

"I promise, _querida_."

She nodded then, realizing that if I promised her I was okay, I really was okay.

"I had the strangest dream one night a few months ago," she said suddenly.

I had finished the yogurt and started on the banana. "Oh?"

"Yeah. We were walking down the street one day, just the two of us. We came to a dead end and had to turn left or right. You started to steer us one way, but something was telling me I wanted to go the other way. So I made us stop and wait until I figured out which way I really wanted to go, and then we went right. It was weird. We just walked for a while before I finally woke up."

I went still at her story. "Babe..."

"What, Ranger? You okay? You look shocked."

I nodded. "We were out in the trees one day, around an enemy camp, and I was just about to go left when I heard your voice." I told her about hearing her tell me to wait and then go right instead of left. "If I hadn't heard your voice, I'd have gone left and run straight into the group of enemy soldiers. Instead, I found the right place and rescued the hostage. You saved my life, Babe," I whispered.

Tears were running down her face by the time I finished.

"Well, it's about time I repayed the favor, isn't it, Batman?"


	4. Chapter 4: Healing

_Disclaimer still applies. Warning for lemony goodness._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 4  
Two Days After Ranger Returned Home  
Stephanie's POV**

"Ranger," I whined, gently struggling to get out of the hold he had on my wrists. "We can't do this. You aren't healed enough. Bobby said it'll be two weeks, at least, until you're up for 'activity' like this." I used finger quotes around activity, just like Bobby had done the day before.

Ranger sighed. "Babe, I'm fine. Bobby doesn't know what he's talking about," he grumbled.

I leaned into him and felt him relax as I pressed my lips to his. Ranger was as stubborn as I was, and the only way I was going to convince him was to show him. When he moved his arms up to pull me tighter against him, he hissed against my lips.

"See? Too sore..." I smoothed his eyebrow down with one finger and then moved gently away so I was sitting beside him on the couch.

"I just want to show you how much I love you, Babe. Is that too much to ask?"

I shook my head. "Ranger, you don't need to show me. I already know. You're my Professor Higgins in every way already. If I know what love is, it's because of you. Through your every action, you've taught me how to love and shown me how much you love me. That's enough for now. Trust me, please."

It might have been the please that did it, but whatever it was, he let me snuggle down beside him. I felt a kiss to the top of my head, and then he grabbed the remote and started the movie again.

~oooOOOooo~

**One Week After Ranger Returned Home  
Ranger's POV**

I was determined to show my Babe how happy I was to be home, but she was denying me at every turn.

_Stephanie_ denying _me_.

_Dios,_ I need her beneath me almost more than I need air at this point. My ribs were still wrapped and it still hurt to move, though, so I know she and Bobby were right in making us wait. But dammit if the wait wasn't killing me! My dick was so hard, I could pound nails.

Lying there beside her on the bed while she dreamed was torture. The sounds she was making alone could kill a man. A conversation I'd had with Lester the day before came back to me, and I had a sudden flash of inspiration.

~oOo~

"_Fuck, this is killing me, man," I hissed out after watching Stephanie walk into the bathroom naked._

_Lester laughed, his voice coming out loudly, even over the phone. "Poor baby. Sex deprived?"_

"_Fuck you."_

"_No thanks, cuz. Save that for your woman." He laughed again. If he'd been in front of me, I'd have hit him._

"_That's what I'm talking about, dammit."_

"_Dude, how old are you? Don't you know that there are things you can do that wouldn't aggravate your ribs as much as sex?"_

_I was still in a lust- and anger-induced haze, so my mind wasn't functioning on all cylinders. It took me a minute to register what he'd said._

"_Wait, what?"_

_I heard Tank's voice in the background, and Santos said, "Gotta go, man. Good luck!" He hung up, laughing._

~oOo~

Well, fuckin hell. Santos wasn't such a dumb shit after all. It may have taken me all night, but I'd finally realized what he'd meant.

I pulled Stephanie's chin up until I could reach her lips with mine. I slowly began kissing her awake. It didn't take her long to come out of her sleep.

"Mmm, Ranger, what are you doing?" she mumbled sleepily against my lips.

"I'm loving you, Babe. Now kiss me," I demanded as I teased the skin on her naked back with my fingertips.

She shivered and began kissing me, her tongue tracing my lips before slipping between them and finding my own. They twisted around one another, tickling and teasing, as my lips caressed hers. My hand moved down from her back to cup her ass gently. When my fingers slipped between her thighs and found her damp curls, we both shivered.

"Oh, God, Ranger! Please, we can't do this. You aren't—"

I stopped her with another kiss.

"Trust me, Babe, please." She started to speak, so I interrupted again. "Come up here above me, on your knees, with one on either side of my head."

I helped guide her until she was straddling my face. She was holding tightly onto the headboard. When I looked up at her, she was staring down at me, eyes wide with curiosity and lust.

"Ranger?" she squeaked as I used my hand to pull her down until she was hovering just over my lips.

My tongue snaked out and traced her slit. She jerked at the touch and moaned.

"Babe, relax. Just let me love you," I said before pulling her back down to my mouth.

As soon as I felt her relax above me, I thrust my tongue inside her. She was so wet already that she was literally dripping. I pulled my tongue out and traced her lips before sucking one into my mouth. When I nibbled it gently with my teeth, she cried out.

"God! Ranger!" Her thighs tightened around my head for a moment before she relaxed again.

I kissed her pussy, slow and deep, and felt her shaking above me. I moved to her clit and began teasing it with my tongue as my hand made its way between her thighs. I wanted to feel her come around me, so I sucked her clit between my lips, holding it gently with my teeth, at the same time that I thrust two fingers inside her. She was so hot, so wet, and so tight, that if it had been my dick inside her, I'd have come already.

With my fingers curled slightly, I stroked the sensitive spot just to the front at the same time that I bit down gently on her clit. Stephanie screamed my name as she came, and I had to use my other hand to hold her down to me. I kept stroking that spot as I scraped my teeth over and sucked on her clit, and it felt like her orgasm was never going to end. Finally, she was shaking so hard that I thought she was going to fall, so I carefully withdrew my fingers and let her clit slide from between my lips.

"_Dios,_ Babe!" I kissed her sweet pussy once more before helping her slide away from my head and back to the bed beside me.

She opened her mouth to try to speak, but all that came out was a tired squeak.

"Sleep, Steph. _Te amo, amante,_" I whispered as she closed her eyes.

I chuckled silently when she shivered once more before falling back asleep.

~oOo~

**Three Weeks After Ranger Returned Home  
Stephanie's POV**

Ranger had been back from his mission for three weeks, and we were both on edge. I desperately needed to feel him inside me. He'd given me more orgasms with his mouth the last two weeks than I'd had my entire life. I certainly wasn't complaining, but my body felt like it was going to combust soon. I needed to taste him, and I'd finally made up my mind last night that today was the day I was going to repay him for the pleasure he'd been giving me.

I looked at the clock and realized it was time. The core team was done with their meeting, and I knew from talking to Ranger last night that his schedule was clear the rest of the day. He was on desk duty until Bobby and the doctor cleared him, and although he hated it, it made it a lot easier for me to do what I was going to do. I peered into the mirror one last time, fluffed my hair, checked my makeup, and tied the black trench coat around my waist. Grabbing my key fob, I left the apartment and rode the elevator down to the fifth floor.

Standing outside Ranger's office, off to the side so he couldn't see me, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before stepping around into the open doorway.

He looked up and sucked in a breath when he saw me. "Babe?"

I placed a finger on my lips and stepped into the room, turning and shutting his office door. The lock clicked, and it sounded louder than it really was in the quiet of the room. I took another deep breath and then turned around again. He was perfectly still as he watched me standing there, but when I untied the belt and let the coat fall open, he hissed.

His breathing was ragged as he took in the picture I made against the light wood of his door. I could only imagine what I looked like: my dark, wild curls; the black coat and black four-inch FMPs on my feet...all framing the pale skin of my naked body.

I shrugged my shoulders and let the coat fall to the floor, leaving me in nothing but the shoes. I slowly walked toward him and watched his hands clench into fists at his sides. Once I reached him, I carefully straddled his thighs and leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips.

"You've been good, Ranger. I know it's been hard—" I caressed his erection through his cargoes "—but you've been a good patient. I think it's time for a reward, don't you?"

He almost whimpered as I kissed him again and then carefully slid down his body until I was on my knees before him. I ran my hands slowly up his thighs and then back down, feeling the strength of his muscles beneath my hands. I reached forward for the button on his pants and slowly drew the zipper down over the prominent bulge of his erection. His cock was straining against the bottom part of the zipper, dying to spring forward. For a second, I smiled. He was so erect, he might have little markings from the zipper on his penis from the pressure.

I slid my hands up the sides of his thighs to his hips to grasp the waistband of his pants. He lifted his ass just enough so I could slide his pants around his ankles. He was beautiful clothed, but naked, he was extraordinary. His mocha-colored shaft, the slightly darker swelling of his crown... I licked my lips in anticipation and then leaned forward, my mouth just above the tip of his cock, and met his eyes. They were glittering with feral intensity. His excitement turned me on. I could feel heat pool between my legs as a bead of precome formed in the slit at the head of his cock.

I had to taste him, just that little bit. I leaned forward and licked the drop, humming as I then licked my lips with satisfaction.

"_Dios,_ Babe. You're killing me here."

Slowly, I ran my tongue up the underside of his shaft, a long, slow lick that promised much. I liked to tease, but he knew I wouldn't leave him unsatisfied. I stopped to circle my tongue around the head before closing my lips around him. I began a rhythm as old as time, sliding as much of his thick shaft into my mouth as I could. He was like hot marble, hard and smooth, but so very tasty. My hand reached up to hold what I couldn't quite reach, moving in time with my mouth.

I could feel the occasional pulse and twitch in my mouth and under my hand, followed by a barely-muffled satisfied groan. I smiled; there was such power in a job well done. My free hand began to stroke his inner thigh again, tracing nondescript patterns with my fingertips and then traveling to tease the pouch at the base of his cock. I squeezed gently, and his hips bucked upward, nearly making me lose my grip.

I felt his cock buzzing in my mouth; it matched the arousing feelings I had between my legs. I sped up my movements, trying to relax my throat to allow him deeper penetration. I held onto his thighs with both hands, moving quickly up and down and moaning with satisfaction. Then it happened: his control snapped. His hands reached for the back of my head, holding me still as his cock pulsed. I felt a hot, wet surge hit the back of my throat, and I swallowed, trying to not release any.

Glancing up, I could see that his eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling in quick breaths. I continued to suck gently, licking away any excess, and then gave his semi-rigid cock one final kiss before standing back up. I leaned down and helped him bring his pants up to his thighs so he could slip them back on without having to bend over.

Once his pants were buttoned, he looked up at me from under hooded eyes and smiled a full two hundred-watt smile. "Fuck, Babe! That was amazing."

I kissed him before returning the grin. "Mmm, yes, it was!" I ran my tongue over my lips. They felt swollen, and I knew without looking that you would be able to tell they'd been well used. "Okay, buster, back to work for both of us. I'm going to go get dressed and then head to the bonds office to pick up some files."

I turned and walked back to my coat, putting an extra swing to my hips, and when I looked back, Ranger was sitting still, watching me with a stunned expression on his beautiful face. I tied the coat around me, blew him a kiss, and then walked out.

~oooOOOooo~

**Five Weeks After Ranger Returned Home  
Ranger's POV**

I tossed my keys down in the tray by the door and toed off my boots. Steph was hanging out with Mary Lou for the afternoon, so I had the apartment to myself as I carried the bags to the bedroom and grabbed a quick shower. I'd already talked to Ella about dinner for later tonight. As I rinsed off, I started going over what still needed to be done before Stephanie got home.

Home. After tonight, that's what I hoped Steph would call this place. Neither of us was ready to get married. She'd spent almost every night here since I got back from Colombia, though, so I was hoping she'd want to move in permanently.

I toweled off and threw on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. I was offline for the next twenty-four hours, and I planned to make the most of it. I'd gone to Pleasure Treasures and gotten some new massage oil and scented candles, which I unloaded into the bedside table drawer. When Stephanie showered after a light dinner, I'd spread the candles out around the room. I went ahead and took the new silk sheets out of the other bag and changed the bedding and then remade the bed so she wouldn't see the new sheets until I was ready.

Once the bed was made, I tossed the bags into the trash and sat down on the couch to wait for Steph's arrival. She'd be back anytime, so I knew I wouldn't have long to wait.

Thirty minutes later, I heard the door open and her soft footfalls on the tile in the hallway just before she called out, "Ranger? I'm home."

"In here, Babe," I called. I turned off the TV and stood up to meet her as she walked into the room.

She walked into the living room and slid her arms around my waist. "Mmm, hi," she purred, smiling.

"Hi, yourself. You look like you had fun today."

"I did. Lou and I talked for a long time and had some fun with her boys. We went to the park, so I'm kind of all sweaty and gross." She grimaced, which made me laugh.

I leaned in to kiss her. "I don't mind sweaty and gross, Babe, but trust me..." I looked her up and down as much as I could without pulling away too far. "You are far from gross."

"Do I have time for a shower before dinner?"

I thought for a minute. That would change my plans, but not significantly. "Sure. Ella should have dinner up here in another half hour or so. Don't bother getting dressed when you get out, Babe. Just throw on the robe hanging on the back of the door, okay?"

"Umm, okay." She looked at me curiously, but I just smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Go shower, Babe. Take your time and relax." I kissed her softly again and then turned her away from me and swatted her behind once to get her moving.

"Hey now! No butt stuff," she teased as she wiggled her hips while she hurried to the bedroom.

~oOo~

By the time we finished dinner, I was hard as a rock. Stephanie looked breathtaking—hair drying into loose curls, no makeup, fresh from the shower. The sounds she was making were enough to send me into fits if I let them. I shored up my iron will and pulled her gently from her seat.

"Dessert later, Babe. Go sit on the couch and get comfortable. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." She started to protest, and I kissed her softly. "Trust me. Go!"

She looked at me once and went to sit on the couch. When she closed her eyes to relax, I smiled and walked to the bedroom.

I quickly stripped the comforter off the bed, leaving it draped in the new, dark blue silk sheets, and then set the candles out in various points around the room. After setting out the massage oil, I grabbed the lighter I'd put in the bedside table drawer and lit the candles until the room was bathed in a soft glow. The last thing I did was grab one of our favorite instrumental jazz CDs and turn it on low. I wanted all of Stephanie's senses to be triggered tonight.

Once the room was set, I made my way back into the living room. I sneaked up on Steph and scooped her up into my arms, making her shriek with surprise.

"God, Ranger! Don't do that!" She looked thoughtful for a second. "Are you okay to pick me up?"

I nuzzled her neck and grinned. "Sorry, Babe."

I waited for her to ask what was going on, because my naturally curious Stephanie had been quiet for far too long.

I didn't have to wait long. "So what's going on? Why'd I have to wait out here?"

"Guess who got the all-clear from Bobby and the doctor today?"

"Seriously? Like the _all_ all-clear?" She looked excited, but pensive.

I nodded. "Yeah, Babe. The _all_ all-clear." I put her gently down on the bed and quirked an eyebrow. "That means you're mine tonight, Babe. You okay with that?"

She nodded silently.

"I have a question to ask you, Stephanie."

~oooOOOooo~

**Stephanie's POV**

I gulped when Ranger told me he had a question. A thousand thoughts flew through my mind, and I wasn't sure how I felt about any of them.

_Do I love him? Of course! Do I want to get married again? Have children? Oh, shit, I don't know! Maybe someday, but not today! Damn, what do I tell him?_

Ranger smiled and reached a hand down to smooth my forehead. He sat down on the edge of the bed and turned toward me. "Babe, I smell smoke. You're thinking way too hard right now. Just let me finish."

I nodded, trying to reign in my thoughts. "Okay, hit me."

"The last five weeks have been some of the best in my life. Someday, Babe, I'd love to ask you to marry me and watch you grow round with our child, but I know neither of us is ready for that yet."

I let out a breath I'd been holding. "Umm, yeah, me, too." My voice came out as a squeak. "I mean, someday I think I'd like that, too. But not yet," I hurriedly assured him.

"Good." He smiled and continued. "We've spent almost every night together since I've been home, and it's been wonderful." He reached over to the table, picked up something, and then held it out to me. "Babe, would you move in permanently? I want you here with me all the time, not just when I'm hurt and need you or when you're hiding from some psycho stalker."

I looked at the metal keyring in his hand. It had the Wonder Woman logo on one side, with Babe written in fancy script, and the Batman logo on the other. The word Batman was written in simple but pretty block letters.

"Really?" I gulped.

He nodded, blank face sliding into place. I knew then that he was worried about my answer. "It's up to you, of course. I just thought that—"

My Batman was beginning to babble, and while it was cute, I didn't want him to suffer. "Well, I suppose I'll have to get my keys and transfer everything to this one since this is much better than my plain keyring."

I waited for my answer to hit him, and when it did, his smile could have lit up the entire town of Trenton. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me hard, crushing my lips against his. The keyring fell to the floor with an almost inaudible thud, and I wrapped my arms around him, enjoying his strength.

Way too soon, he reluctantly pulled back, smiling when I frowned and tried to reach for him again. "Not yet, Babe. I have plans. Take off your robe and turn over."

I started to question him, but then I saw the massage oil on the table. My body heated in anticipation as I slowly pulled off my robe and tossed it to the chair in the corner of the room before rolling over onto my stomach. Ranger started to straddle my thighs, and I looked over my shoulder to see him fully clothed.

"You don't want to get oil all over your clothes, do you, Ranger?" I was so excited that my voice came out sounding sex kittenish, which was okay with me.

It was okay with Ranger too, apparently, because he quickly stood up and shed his clothes, which left him standing there with nothing but a fully-erect nine inches.

"Absolutely not, Babe." He smirked before smoothly straddling me again.

The last clear thought I had as I heard the snap of the lid and then felt his strong hands moving over my back was that his erection was trapped between our bodies as he leaned forward. With that delicious thought, I gave myself over to the sensations. Ranger massaged my arms, careful not to tickle a particularly sensitive spot on the inside of my elbows, and then he moved to my shoulders and began massaging what few knots were left there after my hot shower and the delicious dinner.

"God, Ranger! Your hands are magic." I whimpered when his hands hit a tight area in the middle of my back.

"Just wait, Babe. You haven't seen anything yet," he murmured in a low, throaty growl, promising seduction.

I was so relaxed that by the time he moved down to the end of the bed to massage my legs and feet, I was nearly boneless. His feathered kisses on my skin made it feel like it was on fire. His hands smoothed up my thighs, and his thumbs came oh-so-close to brushing up against where I wanted him, but he pulled back each time, leaving me needy and trembling.

"_Dios,_ Stephanie, I can see how wet you are from here... Turn over, Babe." His voice was deep and husky, filled with desire.

"Need your help, please. I don't know if I can move." My voice was teasing, but I wasn't sure that I wasn't telling the truth.

With his help, I turned onto my back, and I delighted in watching his eyes darken as they took in my breasts and followed the line of my firm stomach to my curls, which were dripping with the proof of my arousal.

He growled something in Spanish that made me whimper. I wasn't sure what he'd said, aside from pussy—which Les had taught me—cream, name, and control, but whatever it was shook him out of the stillness he'd been in for a moment. I watched as he poured more oil into his hands, rubbing them to heat it slightly before he began at the upper part of my chest. He massaged my breasts, but when he avoided my nipples, I whined.

"Please, Ranger! Touch me," I begged him.

He just shook his head and continued rubbing down my body. The front of my legs got the same treatment as the back. By the time he made his way back up to the tops of my thighs, I had spread my legs, inviting him between them. He moved up my body to kiss me, and his hands found my breasts again. With his slick fingers, he rubbed and then pinched my nipples as he kissed me, until I was writhing under his touch.

His cock was rubbing against me, hitting my clit with every movement he made. I was trembling by the time he lowered his head between my thighs.

"_Dios,_ I love tasting you, Stephanie." His tongue took one long swipe from the bottom of my slit to the top and then circled around my clit a few times. Only his hands on my hips prevented me from coming up off the bed at the touch of his tongue.

He licked and sucked at my lips like he was kissing my mouth; his tongue dove deep, twisted and turned to reach every spot inside me that he could. When his lips closed around my clit and he began to hum, I cried out. My orgasm hit me hard, and I saw spots on the backs of my eyelids. He gave my clit one last kiss, which did nothing to dull the throbbing ache between my legs, and then moved up my body.

"Please," I cried softly. "I need you inside me, Ranger. It's been _so_ long!"

I reached down to grasp his cock, my fingers barely able to wrap around him, and helped guide him to my entrance. Ranger swiftly moved my hand and, with one of his, trapped my wrists above my head, holding me captive. With his other hand, he moved my legs farther apart and thrust slowly into me.

~oooOOOooo~

**Ranger's POV**

_Fuck!_ Stephanie felt like soft velvet and liquid fire combined as I slid inside her. I felt her drawing me slowly into the silken depths of her pussy, and I had to control myself so I didn't end up like an overeager teenage boy and come before either of us were ready.

I wanted to take this slow, but every thrust sent us both careening quickly to the edge of our control. Once I released them, Stephanie's hands moved to my arms and then up to my shoulders. She reached around to hold me tightly, and the bite of her fingernails into my skin only heightened my arousal. I used my hands to move her legs until they were bent at the knees, her heels resting nearly flat against the backs of her thighs. I moved deeper this way, and I could feel her clenching around me with every thrust.

She pulled me down until her mouth was muffled against my shoulder as she screamed out her release. I felt my balls tighten and knew I wouldn't be far behind her. I needed to mark her as she had marked me with her nails. I wanted the world to know she was mine. My mouth found her neck, and I kissed down until I found the spot where it met her shoulder.

With one final, hard thrust, I felt my come bubbling up and spilling out inside her. I sucked the skin of her shoulder deep into my mouth and bit down, barely hard enough to draw pinpricks of blood. She screamed my name as the pain and pleasure threw her over the edge one last time. As her muscles clenched around my dick, they drew several last ropes of come from me, and I shuddered, trying to catch my breath.

"God, Ranger! That was incredible," Stephanie said a few minutes later when we could both breathe again. "I love you," she whispered, looking up into my eyes.

I was lying beside her with my arms wrapped around her. Her head was buried against my chest, and our legs were tangled under the sheet I'd managed to pull over us.

"I love you, too, _amante_. Just so you know, Stephanie, it's never been like that for me. Even when we were together before, it wasn't quite like that. I don't know what's different now, but I thank God that it is," I mumbled into her hair.

"Don't you know, Ranger? Love isn't what makes the world go around; it's what makes it worth the ride, and that was definitely a ride worth taking," she said happily.

I nodded, pulling her tighter against me. "That it was, Babe. That it was."

**The End**


End file.
